Welcome to AresJoxerCupidStrife

Disclaimer: Don't any of the characters. Ares belongs to Mythology and the people who made Xena. Joxer belongs to said people. The Silverhawks belong to Rankin/Bass productions and Marvel Entertainment Corporation. I made no money off this story please don't sue me.

Title: There you'll be
Author: Kate
Summary: I suck at these. Just read the Story

"When I think back on these times
And the dreams we left behind
I'll be glad because I was blessed
To get to have you in my life."

The cave was warm with the underground fire. A bed of furs was prepared in the center of the cave. Joxer carried Ares over to the bed and laid him down on it. As he looked at his beloved War God, he felt tears sting his eyes. Ares wasn't supposed to get hurt like this. No one was supposed to be hurt at all. But Xena…Xena and her bard and her bitch of a daughter had done it. Hurt Ares so badly he needed to be put in this cave to heal in safety. Clipped his right wing so that he had to sleep to re-grow it.

Joxer covered Ares with a fur blanket as the God of War moaned in pain. The pain he'd suffered to help and protect his family after bringing all the dead members out of hell was indescribable. But at least his family now loved him, as they should have all those centuries. Joxer knew the rest of the damned Olympians had been shocked when Ares met Lucifer in combat for them. Met him in combat and won the lives and souls of his family. Even Zeus and Hera.

The members of that family stood outside the cave giving Joxer some time with Ares before they came in to say good rest. They all knew Ares had to be hidden form Xena and Hercules and Gabrielle before they realized he'd survived. Ares was a bigger threat than any of the Light's people had at first realized.

Joxer felt blessed to have known Ares and been loved by him. Not like most mortals who only blamed him for every bad thing in their lives. Things Ares had no control over to begin with. Joxer knew every mortal in the world had been lucky to have had Ares to handle all the negativity in their lives. No one knew this though, thanks to Hercules. Jerkules in the opinions of most of the host of Mt. Olympus. Even Zeus was angered about this. Ares moaned as the pain started to come back. Joxer leaned forward and gently kissed his forehead.

"It's okay now Ares. You can rest. Everyone is safe," he soothed. Ares seemed to relax a bit but he was still in so much pain. Joxer knew once the cave was sealed and shielded, Ares would begin to heal. All of his wounds both physical and emotional would heal while he slept. The healing would take as long as it took which was why the rest of Olympus was scattering. If Ares was to be protected, they had to be leading Hercules and company around in circles. Damn giving Hercules and Xena immortality. And Eve seemed blessed with it too. Joxer knew Ares would heal because he was a healer. He'd given Ares back his raven wings.

"When I think back on these days
I'll look and see your face
You were right there for me."

Joxer wiped away his tears as he let the memories wash over him. In years to come when he looked at this time in his life, he would always see Ares. No one else but his beloved War God. Joxer smiled as he was bombarded by memories. Memories he shared with Ares, his memories and Ares' memories that had been given to him as a gift so he would never lose his Ares. Never be that far away from him. And so he would know the truth of who Ares was.

That had been the greatest gift his beloved had ever given him: the gift of himself. He had his memories of Ares to keep him company. A place for those memories always in his heart and in his dreams. In his dreams where his Ares would always fly.

"In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the
sky
In my heart I'll always keep a place for you, for
all my life
I'll keep a part of you with me
and everywhere I am, there you'll be
And everywhere I am there you'll be"

"Joxer?" a voice questioned from behind. "It's time for the rest of us to say goodbye. They are getting close." Joxer nodded at Zeus as he bent to give his beloved one last kiss before he left. Once everyone was out and the cave had been sealed, Joxer lifted his pack. Which contained his clothes, the sword of Peace and the Sword of War. As well as Ares' earring and one of the pendants Ares always wore. Joxer gave each of his and Ares' family a hug and then walked into the night. The other Olympians followed suit. Each vanished in a flash of bright light heading to new lives and new places.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Joxer stepped out of the light in a strange place that Zeus' mind identified as outer space. It was a strange looking place, far away form earth but he knew there was a reason he was here. Joxer looked over and saw an old man dying at the hands of a red…thing…he reacted just as his Ares would have. He pulled his sword and attacked the thing. He took its left eye hearing it scream in rage. After it retreated, Joxer gathered the dying human into his arms and carried him back into the floating bird structure. He laid the man on a couch in an office and began to check him over. The man was made up of mostly metal and Joxer had a horrible feeling nothing he could do would save the man's life.

"Thank you," the man rasped weakly.

"For what?" Joxer asked.

"For letting me die with dignity. You're here for a reason though aren't you?"

"I have to hide for a while. My Ares is healing and we can't let it be disturbed. That's why I have his sword…"

"Hide here," The old man said as he felt himself slipping away. Take my place and hide here. Condor will help you, wont you my friend?"

Joxer spun around to find a man with metal covering most of his body standing in the doorway. The man came over to where he and the old man were.

"Sure I will Gaze," the man said. I guess he'll need it."

Joxer nodded his thanks and began to bend his appearance to match the dying man's. "I guess this is as good a place as any." He said to himself.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Years pass and a new team comes to the place Joxer has learned is called Limbo Galaxy. Mon*Star hates that he lost his left eye so Joxer now has a nemesis of his own. Joxer has established himself as Commander Stargazer. The new team is different form the old one.

Jon Quick he knows Ares would have booted out of the army for his attitude. Michael Moreno, Blue grass, needs to get rid of his cockiness before it gets him killed. Emily Heart is a control freak that reminds Joxer of Gabrielle to him the way she treats her brother Will. Will heart is the quiet member of the team, the seeming jack-of-all-trades yet he wont ever take a leadership role. When asked, he tells Joxer it's not his bag. Reminding the exiled God of Peace of Aphrodite. The Copper Kidd is an enigma Joxer just has a problem understanding. He knows some of the shit the Kidd pulls would have him kicked out of Ares' armies. Like the others though, he has his good points. Still, Joxer thinks if any of them met Ares, they'd have a problem.

"Well, you showed me how it feels
To have the sky within my reach
And I will always remember all the strength you
gave to me
Your love made me make it through
Oh, I owe so much to you
You were right there for me."

Joxer tells them he doesn't want wings when Quicksilver pushes him to get them. Only Will seems to understand and leaves him alone. Joxer thanks the gods that Ares gave him strength when he bonded their souls. Ares had given him so much before the attack. Confidence and strength being the least. He gave Joxer acceptance, love and everything he'd ever wanted in a family. He so missed Ares but he knew Ares had to be allowed to heal. Whenever things got rough in Limbo, Joxer just remembered Ares. Ares never gave up trying. Not even when he lost his wings again to Xena's Chackram did he stop protecting his family. Joxer dreamed of Ares most nights. Dreamed of the flight Ares had given him before Xena attacked. That was how he always saw Ares in his dreams: soaring free above the sky.

"In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky In my heart there'll always be a place for you, for all my life I'll keep a part of you with me And everywhere I am there you'll be"

On the Winter Solstice, Joxer goes back to the cave. He visits it every year, hoping quietly that something will have changed, that Ares will have woken up. Every time he read the energy, he smiled. Ares was healing. This year, the energy was even brighter. Stronger and warmer the energy told Joxer Ares would be healed soon. When he visited, Joxer would tell Ares all about his life because he just couldn't not talk to him. Ares was always his life and his strength.

"Cause I always saw in you my life, my strength
And I want to thank you now for all the ways
You were right there for me.
You were right there for me
Always
In my dreams I'll always see you soar above the sky.
In my heart there'll always be a place for you, for all my life.
I'll keep a part of you with me
And everywhere I am there you'll be.
And everywhere I am there you'll be."

"Hello Joxer," the cold voice spoke behind him. Joxer turned and found himself facing Hercules, Xena and Eve.

"We knew you'd come back. That way we can kill you both and that will be the end of any interference in the Way."

Joxer began to back up and into the wall of rock behind him. He knew he had to spare Ares more pain. Even if it was his life that was the cost.

Saying a quick prayer for help Joxer prepared to get pummeled by Hercules' great strength. But he was never hit. Instead. Someone caught Herc's wrist.

"You okay sir?" Will asked him. Joxer stared in shock. Will -was- stronger than Hercules. Joxer felt a surge of warmth from the energy shielding the cave. A quiet benediction of Ares love.

"He's here?" Joxer muttered to himself.

"There you'll be"

TBC

Lyrics from Faith Hill's "There You'll Be" from the Pearl Harbor Soundtrack 2001